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Reuniting Under One Roof

from Surface & Panel - Master 2023

by Surface & Panel

from Surface & Panel - Master 2023, page 148

Article from: Surface & Panel - Master 2023

Not Your Father’s Shop Class

The 2022 NBMDA Annual Convention Brings Together Industry Leaders

BY JENNIFER G. WILLIAMS

The North American Building Material Distribution Association celebrated its 70th anniversary, coming home to Chicago for its 2022 annual convention. More than 1,100 attendees met at the Hyatt Regency Chicago Hotel, November 1-3, where distributors and partner suppliers learned about the latest trends and issues in the industry. Attendance was up this year and included nearly 50 first-time exhibiting suppliers.

SPEAKERS, SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS The annual event offered speakers, sessions, presentations and workshops that were informative and covered all aspects of the distribution industry. From trading partner meetings to educating today’s distribution professionals and sharing best practices within the industry, there was a bit of something for everyone attending.

Speakers included Jeff Havens, who shared his expert insights on how to supercharge your business in his keynote speech, Uncrapify Your Future—relating how innovation can

SPEAKERS BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: JEFF HAVENS, TAYO ROCKSON,

CONNOR LOKAR, IAN HELLER, ALEX CHAUSOVSKY AND ALAN BEAULIEU

be a simple process that literally everyone is capable of performing. Tayo Rockson shared The Five A’s of Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion, helping distribution executives learn five systematic ways to build a sustainable diversity and inclusion program.

Attendees said they were impressed by the quality of presentations and sessions offered, including one from Connor Lokar with ITR Economics. Lokar led the Economic Trends in the Construction and Industrial Markets session, which addressed current and future economic conditions for both residential and commercial construction segments and gave participants a clearer picture of what to expect for end-use market demand for interior building products.

Ian Heller with the Distribution Strategy Group shared his vision on how distributors can continue to earn and even expand their share of suppliers’ sales in the face of aggressive competition and a growing number of alternative paths to market in his How Can Distributors Become More Important to Manufacturers talk.

Alex Chausovsky with the Miller Resource Group delivered key insights designed to help distribution leaders and decision makers elevate their talent-focused activities in his presentation, Building an Effective Talent Strategy: Proven Tactics to Attract, Hire and Retain Your Most Valuable Assets.

And in his Preparing for Change session, Alan Beaulieu with ITR Economics shared an insightful exploration of consumer trends and market opportunities, pricing issues, labor constraints, and production costs featuring practical business responses, tactics, and strategies in order to maximize market potential and company preparedness.

A one-day leadership workshop dedicated to providing tailored education to those in management positions within wholesale distribution firms was reintroduced after a two-year pause. Seventyfive distribution managers took advantage of the University of Innovative Distribution-in-a-Day relaunch, which focused on sharpening their skills around leading teams and managing change in an every-evolving business landscape.

CELEBRATING EMERGING LEADERS Launched in early 2022, the NBMDA Emerging Distribution Leaders Program is a professional development program centered on upand-coming distribution professionals. The nine-month program is designed to provide education and networking opportunities to professionals interested in furthering their career in the distribution channel.

Distribution professionals who strengthened their management and leadership skills in 2022 and graduated from the program at the 2022 NBMDA Convention included:

• Humberto Ramirez, Aetna Building Solutions, Maywood, Illinois • Chris Martin, Aetna Building Solutions, Maywood, Illinois • Joel Wilson, Atlantic Plywood, Woburn, Massachusetts • Honour Delaney-Machi, Distributor Service Inc.,

Carnegie, Pennsylvania • Stephanie Hardwick, Dixie Plywood Lumber Co.,

Savannah, Georgia • Tanner McMaster, Dixie Plywood Lumber Co.,

Savannah, Georgia • Rusty Johnson, Plunkett Distributing, Ft. Smith, Arkansas • Caleb Plunkett, Plunkett Distributing, Ft. Smith, Arkansas • Austin Nolen, General Manager – Web-Don, Inc.,

Charlotte, North Carolina • Josh Dimeo, Assistant Branch Manager – Web-Don, Inc.,

Charlotte, North Carolina • Michelle Holmberg, Senior Accountant – Wurth Louis Co.,

Brea, California • Ryan Blow, Business Development Manager – Wurth Louis Co.,

Brea, California • Christopher Hunter, Purchasing Supervisor – Wurth Wood

Group, Charlotte, North Carolina The association also had a special membership tenure recognition for three members who have reached 30 years of continuous membership in NBMDA: • E.B. Bradley Co., Vernon, California • Richelieu America, Ville Saint Laurent, Quebec, Canada • Wurth Wood Group, Charlotte, North Carolina In addition to electing new officers, NBMDA also named its Board of Directors for 2023. The role of the Board is to govern, establish policy and make strategic decisions about the organization’s future.

OFFICERS: • PRESIDENT: Matt Huber, Allegheny Plywood,

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • PRESIDENT ELECT: Don Plunkett, Plunkett Distributing,

Ft. Smith, Arkansas • VICE PRESIDENT: Tracy Nacius, Amerhart Ltd.,

Green Bay, Wisconsin • TREASURER: Wayne Moriarty, Atlantic Plywood,

Woburn, Massachusetts • PAST PRESIDENT: Emily Vella, Atlantic Plywood,

Woburn, Massachusetts

DISTRIBUTOR DIRECTORS: • Chris Burns, EB Bradley Co., Vernon, California • John Geraghty, Wurth Baer Supply, Vernon Hills, Illinois • Steve Hollinshead, Aetna Building Solutions, Maywood, Illinois • Craig Ratchford, Richelieu, Ville Saint Laurent, Quebec, Canada

SUPPLIER DIRECTORS: • Lorne Smith, Berenson Corp., Buffalo, New York • Melissa Herman, Formica Corp., Cincinnati, Ohio • Cayce Hewlett, Chemcraft, High Point, North Carolina • Don Raymond, Uniboard, Laval, Quebec, Canada • Tom Wardach, Roseburg Forest Products, Roseburg, Oregon • Jeff Winters, Kessebohmer USA, Wilmington, North Carolina

ABOVE: HUMBERTO RAMIREZ WAS ONE OF THE DISTRIBUTION PROFESSIONALS WHO GRADUATED FROM THE NBMDA EMERGING DISTRIBUTION LEADERS PROGRAM AT THE 2022 NBMDA CONVENTION. HE IS JOINED BY 2023 NBMDA PRESIDENT, MATT HUBER.